


Thanks To The Cat

by storyofmine



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cats, Cute!niall, Niall-centric, Shy!Niall, niall needs a little help, small!niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 20:16:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14922134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyofmine/pseuds/storyofmine
Summary: Niall needs a little help sneaking his cat into his university dorm.





	Thanks To The Cat

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Thanks To The Cat](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/388970) by Schokokeks120 (me). 



"Ughhh, I hate Uni so much", Louis moaned. He was laying on his bed in the dorm he was living in with his best friend Harry. Said boy was also in the room, laying on his bed on the other side of he room. Their other two friends, Zayn and Liam, were sitting on their grey carpet. While Harry and Louis were sharing a room on the first floor of the building, Zayn and Liam's shared one was on the second. Not that they cared, they were spending most of their free time in this room anyway.

"How can you already hate Uni? It's only started two weeks ago", Harry mumbled with his slow voice. He was eating cookies and there were crumbs everywhere. It would hurt to sleep in his bed tonight, Louis thought but he also knew that Harry would just come over to him and sleep next to him. It was nothing unnatural. They were sleeping in one bed more often than not.

It was true – Uni started two weeks ago but it was their second year already, that's why Louis didn't unterstand how Harry could say such a thing. "Oh, as if, Harry. Just because we were on break, doesn't mean Uni got magically better. It's still this stupid nuisance it was a year ago."

Harry glared at him. It was just how he was. Harry liked going to Uni, he was always attending and studied almost all of the time.

Zayn and Liam laughed. They couldn't think of a day when Harry and Louis wouldn't say something offending towards the other or a day, where they weren't arguing. The four boys were best friends for years now. It began in primary school. Having no friends, they soon found each other and since then they were inseparable. It went as far as for them to go to the same Uni, although they weren't all studying the same thing.

It was great. They loved spending so much time together.

Liam asked Harry for a cookie and the little argument was forgotten. Soft sounds were coming from the stereo and they were humming a tune together. That was another thing they liked to do. They were all good singers and their voices were like the ones from an angel. Yes, they thought about making a musical career but they also knew it was important to have some kind of graduation because who knows if you'll get famous with your music and live with what you will earn from it.

The singing got interrupted by a quiet, almost inaudible knock on their door.

It was very unexpected and they almost jumped to the ceiling but Harry shook his head and crawled off his bed. Thanks to his long legs, he only had to take a few steps to get to the door.

He opened it slowly, scared that someone didn't like their singing and be mean to them because Harry secretly didn't like screaming. Only his friends knew though.

He raised his eyebrows when he saw a boy, who was at least a foot smaller than him, standing infront of him. His blonde hair hid his forehead and he was looking at the ground right next to Harry's feet. The pastel purple sweater he was wearing, was like two sizes to big which was actually very adorable and Harry could feel a smile growing on his face. The boy had sweater paws and was nervously playing with his hands.

"Can I help you?", Harry asked when he realised the boy wouldn't be the one to start the conversation. He opened his door a bit more so his three best friends could see what was going on. If Harry wasn't mistaken, he heard Louis cooing from the other side of the room.

After hearing Harry's words, the boy looked up and Harry shyly in the eyes. The small boy had ocean blue eyes and they were so big, Harry thought they would fall out.

"Ehm, h-hi. I'm Niall, my room is the one next to yours." While talking he continued fumbling with his sweater and pointed to the door to the right. Harry knew it was a room for only one person, which was way more expensive but Harry actually liked sharing his room with his best friend – or all of them to be honest.

"Hey Niall, do you want to come in? I hope we didn't annoy you with our singing or whatever", Harry said. He didn't know why he invited the boy into their room, it just seemed to be the right thing to do. He took a step back and opened the door all the way.

Niall seemed a bit reluctant at first but after only a few seconds he smiled a shy smile and took a few steps into the room. He stopped right next to Harry and looked at the other people in the room.

After Harry closed the door he stood next to Niall and pointed out their names. "I'm Harry by the way and these are Louis, Liam and Zayn. Say hello, guys." They did and Niall looked down, never stopping the fumbling with his sleeves. It was actually very cute. "Why don't you sit down? Here, you can take my bed", Harry offered but Niall only shook his head.

"Thank you very much but I don't want to be a bother", he explained and took his eyes off the ground to be able to look Harry into his green ones. "I actually wanted to ask something." His voice was really quiet but they had no problem understanding him. They almost cooed as he was like a little, lost puppy looking for help, which he apparently needed.

"What is it?", Zayn asked and Niall turned around, facing the other boys.

"Well... I-I don't really know how to say it", he answered and after a short silence he quietly added: "It's something forbidden."

The boys exchanged worried glances. What could an innocent looking boy, like Niall do, that was forbidden? Should they be worried? Was it something they had to tell a tutor?

"Well, how about you tell us what you need our help with and we will then tell you if we can help you?" Louis asked.

Niall nodded but instead of answering, he rummaged in the small bag that was on his back and took a small piece of paper out of it. Harry didn't realise what was happening when there was suddenly something infront of his eyes and he couldn't see anymore.

"This is my kitty", Niall explained and Harry realised that the piece of paper, that Niall was holding, was actually a picture that he had no in his face – literally. He slowly held Niall's arm in his hand and shoved it a bit away from him so he could actually see what Niall was showing him.

It was indeed a kitty – a small, white fluff of ball with eyes as blue as Niall's. It was obviously very young and Harry was about to ask why Niall had a picture of his kitten in his pocket but Niall ran around the room to show the other three boys the picture. Then he sat down on the edge of Harry's bed and looked down at his lap. "Her name is Snowball and I love her very much."

Not really knowing what they had to do, Louis, Liam, Zayn and Harry were looking at each other in complete confusion.

Liam coughed, stood up and went over to Niall where he sat down and laid a reassuring hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. Niall looked so lost and sad that they wanted to lay a blanket over him and cuddle him to death, even though they didn't know him at all. "Did something happen to her?", Liam asked softly.

Niall sniffled. He leant against Liam's shoulder and continued to talk. "No, she's fine but it's getting coulder outside and she's just in this carton, you know?"

"Wait", Zayn said, "your cat's in a carton? Where? Isn't she home with your family?"

A small laugh escaped Niall's mouth. "No, they never liked her. That's why I took her with me but the Uni doesn't allow any pets in the dorms, as you probably know and that's why I hid her outside in a bush. But I need you help because it's getting too cold outside and I have to bring her inside."

After a short silence, in which everybody seemed to try to understand Niall's words, Harry spoke up again. "So, you need us to bring your cat inside? That's all? Because that is definitely something I can do. Just hide her underneath my shirt or something."

Niall gasped. "No! She would suffocate! And yes, I need you to help me bring her inside but there is something else..." He trailed off and looked down again, trying to avoid the other's suspicious looks.

"...yeah?", Louis asked.

"Well, ehm... You're the- the only people I know at Uni because I'm knew and- and everybody else already has friends but I heard you singing and I thought that you were really nice and friendly-looking that's why I knocked." He broke off, bringing his thoughts into the right order. "I have a lot of courses and I also need to catch up to the other students because I missed two weeks- I don't have enough time to care for Snowball and she needs someone..." With those words he looked up and there were actual tears shimmering in his eyes.

The boys knew what Niall was about to ask and yeah, they had a lot of work to do as well but they were four people and somebody would find the time to care for this stupid cat. They weren't mean people. Or – that's what they tried to tell themselves. It was definitely not the fact that Niall already had them wrapped around his little fingers and was as cute as a small teddy bear in a toy shop. The tears only played to it.

Niall was about to ask but the Liam cut him off. "Yes, we will", he said and Niall looked up at him surprised.

"What? You don't even know what I wanted to say, do you?"

This time, it was Harry who answered the small boy. "We know that you want to ask us if we can help you look after her. And we probably will, when I look at the other lads." They nodded.

"Really?", Niall exclaimed and jumped five feet into the air. That alone was enough for the boys to know that they wouldn't regret their decision.

"Well, come on then. I need you to see her. She will be very happy to have somebody as cool as you are. She's so lovely and fluffy, you wouldn't believe me if you haven't seen or touched her. Come on." Niall was actually dragging Liam off of Harry's bed and towards the door. Liam was struggeling to catch up and he wondered where this boy got all his energy from. It was really endearing though and the lads knew, they would love a new friend in their friend group.

Even though they didn't know and actually didn't want somebody else in their little group but they were sure it was okay to have a small, cat-obsessed boy and a small cat in their group.

It would be worth it, they were sure.

**Author's Note:**

> You can send me prompts on Tumblr (xstoryofminex.tumblr.com) or on wattpad (xstoryofminex) if you like :)


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